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Whisky Review: Penderyn Madeira Single Malt Welsh Whisky

We review Penderyn Madeira, a Welsh single malt finished in Madeira wine casks. Watch out, Scotland, Wales is coming for you.

OVERALL RATING

8
$55.00
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Tasting Notes

About:

The Penderyn Madeira Single Malt is sold in a 750 ml bottle. Made with barley, aged in ex-bourbon barrels (no age statement provided), and finished in ex-Madeira wine casks, the Madeira comes in at 92 proof. It currently retails for approximately $55.
Appearance:
The sub-title for Penderyn’s Gold line of whiskies is “Aur Cymru,” which translates to “Welsh Gold.” In the glass, I’d say that the Madeira visually occupies a category that I’d describe as closer to a pale blond than gold, but hey, close enough. It has thin, slow legs.
Nose:
A sweet nose, somewhat sharp, with a hint of liquorish, black cherry, and raisins.
Palate:
The palate starts off with a bit of a kick, cinnamon and cloves, and then crawls back onto the tongue into a sweet mid-mouth warmth, finishing with elements of cantaloupe, vanilla, and just a hint of celery. A bit of cloying bitter-sweetness hangs around once all the other flavors have left. You definitely go on a bit of a flavor journey with this one.
Finish:
Comments:
You know what? After a century of closed doors and no local contemporaries to lean on, I’d say Penderyn’s done pretty well for itself with this one. There’s a bit of sharpness to the nose and the first tip-of-the-tongue taste, and there’s a mild, and slightly unpleasant, bitterness-sweetness that lingers on after you put your glass down, but all in all I’d say I’m a fan. You can do better for something in this price range, but for a piece of Welsh whisky history I see no reason not to add this one to your collection.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Zack Braunstein

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